Trust
by Sherlocked Gallifreyan
Summary: KITT suffered emotional damage when he was dumped into the acid. This is sort of my take on what happened during his recovery.
1. Chapter 1

A/N Post- Junkyard Dog. This is what happened in my mind during scenes we weren't shown. Yes, my mind changed the order of events. It does that sometimes. Read and Review, please. ~Sherlocked Gallifreyan.

* * *

KITT was fully repaired. No signs remained to indicate he had been nearly destroyed. Bonnie walked out of the lab/garage in search of Michael. She found him sleeping uncomfortably in a hard plastic chair. "Michael," she said, gently placing a hand on his shoulder to wake him. He started awake but relaxed when he saw her. "KITT's finished."

Michael rose somewhat unsteadily and limped to the garage. Looking through the window in the door, he smiled when he saw KITT. "He looks good," Michael said over his shoulder to Bonnie, who tiredly nodded her thanks.

Michael pushed the door open and approached KITT. "Hey, buddy," he said fondly, patting the smooth, black fender. "You look good."

"Thank you, Michael," the black car said. "I wish I could say the same for you." Inwardly, Michael relaxed. KITT's personality seemed to have survived intact. He seemed to be the same slightly sarcastic, intelligent, caring car Michael loved so much. What Michael didn't notice, and what KITT took great pains to conceal, was that KITT felt terrible for letting Michael down at the junkyard. Since reconstruction, KITT had rerun that scenario through his processors, looking for ways he could have protected Michael.

"What do you say we go home?" Michael asked. KITT opened the driver door for Michael. 'Home' for the moment was the small apartment Michael was renting during his recovery. Michael sat stiffly behind the wheel and pulled the door shut. Michael's stiff movements worried KITT, but the Trans Am remained quiet. He knew Michael didn't like being unnecessarily prodded. But he did keep an eye on Michael's vital signs as Michael drove out of the garage and toward the apartment.

Michael drove in silence. The interior was familiar, but everything felt odd. It took him a while, but he figured out what was wrong: everything was new. He decided that that wasn't 'wrong' so much as different. To be redundant, it was all new. He chuckled, drawing KITT's attention.

"What's so funny, Michael?" KITT asked.

"The new interior is new," Michael said.

"I don't understand," KITT said. "Of course the interior is new."

"Don't worry about it, partner," Michael said, patting the dash. "I'm probably just tired." As soon as he said that, he yawned.

"Michael," KITT said. "I suggest you let me drive before you fall asleep."

"Go ahead," Michael murmured, reclining the seat and closing his eyes. He was asleep in moments.

KITT had fully expected Michael to argue with him. That was Michael's way. But Michael's tired acquiescence worried him. Michael was only ever agreeable if he was terribly hurt in some way. Had KITT missed something? He scanned Michael again, looking for some small sign of internal damage but found nothing other than the wounds about which he already knew. _Wounds you should have been able to prevent_, a dark voice told KITT. _You should have paid more attention. Michael wouldn't have been hurt if you were more attentive. _KITT tried to ignore the voice and focused solely on the road. But the voice kept whispering, reminding him of the times he had failed Michael.

Michael jolted awake, the shot still ringing in his ears. "Where are we, KITT?" he asked, stretching as best he could and trying to disguise the momentary panic that accompanied the dream.

"We are twenty minutes and forty seconds from your apartment," KITT informed him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Michael said. "It was just a dream."

"According to my databanks, you'd feel better if you talked about it," KITT suggested. He didn't expect Michael to talk about his dream. Michael kept so many things buried. KITT was concerned for Michael's mental well-being. Physically, Michael would make a full recovery. But mentally? The human mind was a delicate thing, easily damaged and hard to heal.

"I said I'm fine, KITT," Michael repeated sternly. KITT fell silent again, wondering if Michael's sudden hostility stemmed from a lack of trust. What if Michael didn't trust KITT anymore? What if Michael left? What if Devon needed a new driver for KITT? What if KITT couldn't protect Michael? KITT panicked and swerved slightly in the lane. Michael noticed it. _That's not right_, he thought. _KITT doesn't do that._

Switching to Normal Mode, Michael pulled off the road and into the parking lot of a supermarket. "What's wrong?" KITT asked, worry shading his cultured voice.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, KITT," Michael stated matter-of-factly.

"Nothing's wrong," KITT lied after a small hesitation. Michael shook his head.

"What's wrong?" he asked again. Again, KITT denied any problems. Frustrated at his car's apparent lack of trust, Michael struck the wheel angrily with his palm. "Damn it, KITT!" he snapped. "Come on. What's wrong?" Had KITT been human, he would have been cowering in fear at Michael's feet, waiting for another blow he feared but knew he deserved.

"I'm sorry, Michael," KITT began, trying to hide his fear. "I don't know what you want. I… I'm sorry."

Hearing KITT's uncertainty, Michael regretting yelling. "Look, KITT," he said in a calmer voice. "There's something clearly bothering you. What is it?"

"I'm a computer, Michael," KITT chided. "Nothing can 'bother' me." Michael saw through the bravado.

"You're more than a computer to me," Michael said. "You're the closest thing to family I've got left, and I know something's bothering you." He waited, heart pounding, fearing that his concerns would be shot down, that KITT would continue on as if he were fine.

"Fine, Michael," KITT said, voice laden with resignation. "I'm scared. I'm afraid that… that you'll leave me and that Devon will have to find me a new driver and the new driver won't be you and you'll be gone and that you could get hurt and that you don't trust me anymore and that I could fail you again and… and…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Michael said, cutting off the clumsy, panicked, confused torrent of words. Both remained silent as Michael registered everything KITT had blurted.

"First of all," Michael said. "I am not leaving you, KITT. I'm not going anywhere. Devon won't have to find you a new driver. I'm staying right here. You got that?" When KITT remained silent, Michael repeated himself. "Do you understand that, KITT?"

"Yes, Michael," KITT said quietly.

"Good. Second. KITT, don't ever think for a moment that I don't trust you," Michael said. "You're my partner, KITT. Beyond that, you're family." He absently stroked the dash as he talked. "I trust you with my life. I always have, and I always will. I mean it, KITT. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, Michael," KITT said quietly.

"KITT, you've never let me down," Michael said. "You've always been there for me. Even when I didn't really want you around. You stuck by my side. You kept me safe. Saved my life more times than I care to count. If anyone let his friend down, it was me. KITT, you've rarely needed my help, but the time you did, I couldn't help you. I was absolutely powerless to save you." With his other hand, he wiped a tear from his cheek.

"It broke my heart when they pulled you out of that acid," he continued in a broken voice. "I thought… Well, KITT, I thought you were dead. Another partner I had let down. But Bonnie and the scientists rebuilt you, KITT. I was thrilled." He smiled through the tears. "I still am."

"Thank you, Michael," KITT said simply. Michael nodded. KITT was as human as anyone, and he could be scared and traumatized, too.

"Now let's go home, pal," Michael said. KITT agreed readily, and Michael left the parking lot for home.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Bonnie greeted him warmly as he joined her at the test track. KITT had performed fine on the normal streets, but what if something more strenuous was demanded? The course had been redesigned based off the original test track and was calculated to test KITT's every program.

As Michael and Bonnie joined the scientists watching from the bleachers, a nagging sense of worry clouded his mind. Last night's conversation was still clear in his mind, and he feared that KITT hadn't told him everything.

KITT launched from the starting line and began weaving around the track. He was performing well, but he seemed uncertain, taking turns which he could have navigated easily with hesitation. As he approached the grey jump, he seemed to slow down before turbo boosting. He clipped the top foot of the jump and swerved as he landed. Michael's heart twisted. KITT didn't trust himself anymore. His fear was confirmed when KITT stopped suddenly before the wall, brakes squealing.

KITT drove over to the bleachers as if he was supposed to have stopped short at the wall. "Well?" he asked. "How did I do?" He sounded so eager for some sort consolation.

"You did great," Michael lied through a false smile as he patted KITT's hood reassuringly. KITT's engine roared in pleasure, comforted by the lie even though he saw through it.

Von Voorman shook his head. "I was afraid of this," he said softly to Michael and Bonnie.

"Afraid of what?" Michael asked, with the sinking feeling that he already knew.

When Von Voorman said, "He's lost his nerve. I can't believe I'm saying this, but KITT has been emotionally damaged," Michael's heart sunk.

Bonnie piped up. "Maybe I can rewrite his software. Maybe I can fix this."

Von Voorman interrupted her sadly. "I recommend that KITT be refitted for light duty. He'll seem the same on the outside, but inside, he's scared. I'm sorry, Bonnie, Michael. There's nothing we can do." With that, Von Voorman accompanied the other scientists as they headed back toward the truck. With a sad backward glance, Bonnie followed.

* * *

Bonnie heard KITT's engine and looked back. Michael was taking KITT through the course at very slow speeds. Each time they ran the course, the speed was increased. Bonnie noticed that the wall was avoided entirely. She smiled sadly and pointed this out to Von Voorman and the scientists; they stopped to watch. She admired Michael's stubborn persistence.

* * *

"Maybe they're right," KITT said uncertainly.

"No," Michael said softly but determinedly. He placed a hand on KITT's roof. "We're going to run this course as many times as necessary. You helped me, pal. Now it's my turn to help you." He opened the door and sat in front of the wheel. "You ready, KITT?"

"Not really," KITT admitted nervously.

"Good," Michael said, gunning the engine and tearing toward the course. "Just trust me, KITT, and you'll be fine." Not wanting to scare KITT further, Michael took the course slowly at first, driving no faster than 35 mph. He also avoided the wall entirely.

"I can go faster than that, Michael," KITT protested, sounding vaguely annoyed. _Good_, Michael thought. He took the second lap closer to 80 mph, paying close attention to KITT.

"Michael," KITT said. "You're patronizing me." KITT took control and sped through the course, proving to Michael, and to himself, that he was fine.

"That's my KITT," Michael said proudly. "You ready to try for that wall again?"

"If you are," KITT said, worry creeping back into his voice.

Michael patted KITT's dash. "You'll be fine, KITT," he reassured. Michael guided KITT through the course, leaping effortlessly over the wall.

"Ready, KITT?" Michael asked. KITT didn't respond. He just increased his speed and slammed hard into the wall, breaking through the reinforced concrete with ease.

* * *

Hearing a loud crash, Bonnie tugged at Von Voorman's sleeve. "Look!" she said, pointing back to where Michael was standing beside KITT, who was covered in dust. The wall was gone, and Michael seemed to be celebrating something.

"Well, I'll be damned," Von Voorman said, shaking his head in amazement. "I can't believe it!"

"How did he do it?" one of the other scientists demanded.

"KITT trusts Michael," Bonnie answered. "I don't really understand it myself. I'm just thankful for it." She glanced at Von Voorman. "Do you still recommend light duty for KITT?"

"No," he said. "He can return to full duties as soon as he feels he's ready." Still shaking his head, Von Voorman continued to the truck, followed by the scientists and Bonnie.

* * *

"Well done, KITT!" Michael praised. "Very well done!"

"Thank you, Michael," KITT said, very proud of himself.

"Ready to get back to work?" Michael asked, grinning at the car in front of him.

"If you are," KITT said. This time, there was no fear in his voice. It was a challenge. Michael laughed.

"Let's go, buddy," he said proudly, sitting behind the wheel.

* * *

Bonnie smiled as she watched Michael and KITT disappear into the sunset. She smiled at the cliché image but decided that, after all they had been through, it was a rather fitting ending.

~FIN~


End file.
